FORMER England international Mike Finn still harbours a burning desire to make the grade as a professional snooker player.

This week, during his last ever Chandler’s Ford Under-21 Roll-Up tournament, in an exclusive interview with Daily Echo snooker writer Tim Dunkley, the 21-year-old looked back on a colourful career and revealed plans for one last attempt to gain a pro-ticket via next season’s qualifying competition, the Pontin’s International Open Series.

My overall goal is to get on the Main Tour

Finn said: “It’s the end of an era. It’s gone rather quick. Hopefully I’ve gone some way to setting a benchmark for the young lads. Maybe not so much my attitude, but that’s me, that’s how I am, I don’t hold anything back. Hopefully they’ll just look at the snooker rather than that.

“My overall goal is to get on the Main Tour; even if I lost every game 5-0 it wouldn’t bother me. I want to be the first person from Southampton to qualify off his own back. I don’t want to look back and say ‘should have done this, should have done that’.

“I’ve missed the boat a couple of times. I should’ve have been on the Challenge tour. I lost to Adam Wicheard 4-3 from 3-1 up in the semis of the Junior Tour national play-offs. That set me back months. I really didn’t have any zest for the game. All I was trying to do was get that professional status and I was practically one game away – I lost on the black.”

It just proves what a young lad from Chandler’s Ford can do

Finn’s finest hour came when he reached the 2005 Pontin’s Open final, losing 5-0 to Jamie Cope.

“That will stay with me until the day I drop dead. That was the best week of my life, snooker wise. I was so happy with myself that week,” he said. “Everything fell into place. My snooker was pretty much top drawer and I had the right mental attitude. I would have loved to get my name next to Steve Davis on the trophy. But it wasn’t to be. It just proves what a young lad from Chandler’s Ford can do.”

In the same year, the region’s most naturally talented player was selected for the England team.

“That was special,” Finn said. “I was pleased as punch, just to put the waistcoat on feels good. You know you have done something that not many people have done. I’m probably the first from around here. But that came second place to the Pontin’s Open. That year I was consistent. Top eight on two rankings lists, Golden Waistcoat and the National Junior Tour.”

It’s in the tank; it’s going to come one day

In just 13 Roll-Up starts this season, Finn has scored 31 breaks over 50 including a record four centuries. Earlier in the season he came agonisingly close to a first maximum, jawing the final black on 140.

“I’d have loved to have done that. That would’ve even topped the Pontin’s Open, to be the first player to make a maximum break in Southampton. One ball away - it still bothers me now but I’m sure I’ll get there. It’s in the tank; it’s going to come one day.”

He has played in the Chandler’s Ford junior tournaments since the age of 14 but will now have to find something else to do on Saturday afternoons.

When Finn took a gap year from college and toured the country with Locks Heath businessman Mike Daly he received his first ever coaching lesson from Jimmy White’s former coach.

“I had a couple of lessons from Alan Bell. He sharpened up on points that I had already but he didn’t change how I hit the ball.”

“I was playing pool when I was six-years-old in a men’s league in Eastleigh with my dad in all the pubs, so the hand-eye coordination was there throughout. I played cricket until I took snooker seriously so it was naturally there. When I’m really on fire I don’t think about it I just see the table and get down to play.

“I was pottering along probably being just an average sort of player at 14 but then I got the old fire in the belly and really wanted to start playing well. I probably haven’t achieved what I really want to achieve but I’ve done enough to satisfy myself.”

He sees the Under-21 Roll-Up as a “good building block” but has a word of warning for the young players hoping for stardom.

“We’ve got young lads coming up here now and it’s quite scary. But obviously they’ve got a long way to go to be that extra bit special. They’re so few and far between these players who have got that edge. It’s going to be a hard struggle for them to do it. As long as they learn the modern game and play the modern game, I’m sure they’ll be fine. I’m sure they’ll achieve what I’ve achieved.”

And the ones to watch

“Obviously you’ve got Shane (Castle) and Jordan (Winbourne), but you can’t really tell until they get much older. There are players who will be of an amazing standard when they’re young and they won’t improve. Some people can improve and improve and improve but others just stay still no matter what they do. Give them a couple of years and you can make a proper judgement but obviously the potential is there. The ability is there, you can tell already, how they’re hitting the ball.

“As long as they’re left to still enjoy the game I’m sure they’ll do really well and I’m looking forward to playing them when they’re 18. I’ll still be knocking around.”